2001-2004 Sea-Doo Challenger 2000 Specs and Review [Video]

Sea-Doo marketed the Challenger 2000 from 2001 through 2004 as the larger brother of the popular Challenger 1800. This bowrider-style jetboat measured almost 20 feet in length and housed a single 2-stroke Mercury Marine jet engine.

In this post, we’ll review this iconic 20-footer Sea-Doo jetboat and its factory specs in detail.

Sea-Doo Challenger 2000 Review

Hull and Capacities

Sea-Doo introduced the 20-footer Challenger 2000 right after the Millennium.

This single-engine family jet boat had a modified-V fiberglass hull with a 19.5-degree transom deadrise.

The overall length of this model was 19 feet 8 inches with a beam of 8 feet.

Rated for 8 passengers, its bowrider-style top deck enjoyed a sporty design and sleek lines.

Instead of wraparound seating, the forward lounge offered three separate seats with cushioned backrests.

Built with a fiberglass-lined floor, the cockpit was fitted with two bucket seats and a full-beam aft bench seat for three.

Covered by high-quality upholstery, each of these was engineered with well-countered cushions and bolsters.

The curved sun pad was integrated into the design, but offered a fairly limited surface.

Other standard features of the boat included a swim platform with grab handles and a reboarding step, along with mooring cleats, navigation lights, armrests, windshields, an ice box, and a marine audio system.

The deck was also fitted with many storage units located under the floor, seats, and windshields.

These were completed with cup holders and a tiny glovebox housing the radio and a 12V socket.

Simple yet practical, the helm came standard with a single mirror, padded armrest, sportscar-like steering wheel, and a minimalist dashboard.

The latter enclosed a speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and switch panel.

By 2003, the manufacturer had slightly redesigned the Challenger 2000.

Besides cosmetic changes, the new model was designed with a slightly shorter and lighter body.

Her dry weight was decreased from 2,100 to 2,000 pounds, which converted to a gross trailering weight of 3,200-3,500 pounds.

Engines and Performance

Just like many other Sea-Doo jet boats in the early 2000s, the Challenger 2000 was also designed with single 2-stroke M2 Mercury Marine jet engines.

Mercury specifically developed these high-performance units for Sea-Doo jet boats.

Utilizing a Mercury outboard powerhead, these 2500cc, reed valve, V6 marine engines delivered 200-250hp depending on the year and the model.

In the early 2001-2002 seasons the boat came standard with an OptiMax 200hp EFI that could be opted for 240hp.

From 2003 onwards, the standard and optional engines offered 240 and 250hp, respectively.

Thanks to this remarkable engine power, the Challenger topped out at 50-53 mph with a light load and in the mid-40s fully loaded.

The best cruising speed was at 28 mph while the 40-gallon fuel capacity gave a range of 110 miles.

Besides its remarkable top speed, this Sea-Doo was also known for its thrilling acceleration with a planing time of around 2 seconds.

This is no surprise since her engine was paired with a mixed-flow, high-volume Mercury jet pump.

Even though the Challenger was less maneuverable than its twin-engine siblings, it was still very easy to operate.

Families appreciated the safety of the enclosed propeller and the comfort of the hydro-surge intake grate.

Often referred to as a “weedless intake system,” this special intake grate was engineered to keep weeds and debris out of the pump.

The draft of the boat averaged between 10.5 – 12 inches depending on the model year.

Combined with the prop-free jet propulsion system, this shallow draft ensured a safer and smoother shallow water operation.

The bolstered seats and plethora of grab handles also came in handy when the crew tried staying in place during tight turns.

But they really had nothing to worry about, the boat handled the corners and high speeds with remarkable stability and confidence.

Problems

Even though the Challenger 2000 was one of the fastest boats in its class, the model had some obvious disadvantages.

One of the biggest downsides was arguably her extreme fuel and oil consumption.

Compared to their standard sterndrive or outboard counterparts, jet boats are prone to burning significantly more fuel, and the 2000 was no exception.

Other design flaws of this boat were the lack of convenience features like a wrap-around windshield, floor carpet, anchor locker, and pump clean-out ports.

Specs Charts

For your convenience, we’ve listed the factory specifications of the 2001-2004 Sea-Doo Challenger 2000:

Dimensions and Capacities

Model Year	’01-‘02	’03-‘04
Overall Length	19’ 9”	19’ 8”
Draft	10 -½”	12”
Dry Weight	2100 lb.	2000 lb.
Dead Rise	19.5 degrees
Hull Material	Composite fiberglass
Load limit	8 passengers or 1440 lb.
Main Oil Reservoir	3 gal.
Fuel Capacity	40 gal.

 

Engine and Pump

Engine Type	V6 Mercury Marine 2-stroke
Number of Engines	1
Induction Type	Reed Valve
Number of Cylinders	V6
Displacement	2500cc
Performance ’01-’02 (std/opt)	200/240 hp
Performance ’03-’04 (std/opt)	240/250hp
Pump	Mercury Marien Sport Jet
Number of Jet Pumps	1
Jet Pump Type	Mixed flow, single stage

These specifications are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.

Takeaways

Back in the early 2000s, the Sea-Doo Challenger 2000 was one of the fastest 2-stroke jetboats in the 20-foot size class.

She utilized a 19.5-degree modified-V fiberglass hull and a sporty bowrider top deck layout.

The heart of this legendary Sea-Doo was a single 2-stroke Mercury M2 jet engine that delivered 200-250hp depending on the model and the year.

Aside from its outstanding power, she was also known for precise handling, a nimble attitude, and versatile usability.

Its smaller brother was the Challenger 1800, which was also marketed with smaller engines under the name of Sportster 1800.

After a couple of years of production, these iconic 2-stroke jet boats were discontinued in late 2004 to make room for the much more modern 4-stroke Challenger 180.